Infused ice maker appliance

Abstract

An ice maker appliance includes an additive dispensing assembly and a mold body. The additive dispensing assembly includes an additive cup configured to receive a volume of liquid additive and a dispensing tube. The ice maker appliance also includes a fill tube. The dispensing tube is aligned with the fill tube whereby the liquid additive from the dispensing tube mixes with a flow of liquid water from the fill tube. The mold body includes a mold cavity. The mold body is positioned downstream of the dispensing tube and the fill tube and is configured for receiving the mixed flow of liquid water and liquid additive whereby a mixture of liquid water and liquid additive is formed in the mold cavity. The mold cavity is further configured for retaining the mixture of liquid water and liquid additive to form an ice piece from the mixture in the mold cavity.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refrigerator appliance, comprising:
 a cabinet;   a chilled chamber defined within the cabinet; and   an ice making assembly, the ice making assembly comprising:
 an additive dispensing assembly comprising an additive cup configured to receive a volume of liquid additive and a dispensing tube downstream of the additive cup; 
 a fill tube in fluid communication with a water supply, an outlet of the dispensing tube aligned with an outlet of the fill tube whereby a flow of the liquid additive from the dispensing tube mixes with a flow of liquid water from the fill tube to form a mixed flow of liquid water and liquid additive; and 
 a mold body comprising a mold cavity, the mold body positioned downstream of the dispensing tube and the fill tube, the mold cavity configured for receiving the mixed flow of liquid water and liquid additive whereby a mixture of liquid water and liquid additive is formed in the mold cavity, the mold cavity further configured for retaining the mixture of liquid water and liquid additive to form an ice piece from the mixture in the mold cavity. 
   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the additive dispensing assembly of the ice making assembly further comprises a dosing pump coupled to the additive cup between the additive cup and the outlet of the dispensing tube. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 2 , wherein the dosing pump is a peristaltic pump. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 3 , wherein the peristaltic pump is actuated by a stepper motor. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the outlet of the dispensing tube is positioned above the outlet of the fill tube. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the outlet of the dispensing tube is oriented generally along a vertical direction. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the outlet of the dispensing tube is offset from the outlet of the fill tube generally along a horizontal direction. 
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the ice making assembly consists of four or fewer mold cavities. 
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the ice making assembly is mounted on an internal surface of a door of the refrigerator appliance. 
     
     
         10 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the ice making assembly is an auxiliary ice making assembly, further comprising a primary ice making assembly separate from the ice making assembly. 
     
     
         11 . An ice maker appliance, comprising:
 an additive dispensing assembly comprising an additive cup configured to receive a volume of liquid additive and a dispensing tube downstream of the additive cup;   a fill tube in fluid communication with a water supply, an outlet of the dispensing tube aligned with an outlet of the fill tube whereby a flow of the liquid additive from the dispensing tube mixes with a flow of liquid water from the fill tube to form a mixed flow of liquid water and liquid additive; and   a mold body comprising a mold cavity, the mold body positioned downstream of the dispensing tube and the fill tube, the mold cavity configured for receiving the mixed flow of liquid water and liquid additive whereby a mixture of liquid water and liquid additive is formed in the mold cavity, the mold cavity further configured for retaining the mixture of liquid water and liquid additive to form an ice piece from the mixture in the mold cavity.   
     
     
         12 . The ice maker appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the additive dispensing assembly further comprises a dosing pump coupled to the additive cup between the additive cup and the dispensing tube. 
     
     
         13 . The ice maker appliance of  claim 12 , wherein the dosing pump is a peristaltic pump. 
     
     
         14 . The ice maker appliance of  claim 13 , wherein the peristaltic pump is actuated by a stepper motor. 
     
     
         15 . The ice maker appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the outlet of the dispensing tube is positioned above the outlet of the fill tube. 
     
     
         16 . The ice maker appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the outlet of the dispensing tube is oriented generally along a vertical direction. 
     
     
         17 . The ice maker appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the outlet of the dispensing tube is offset from the outlet of the fill tube generally along a horizontal direction. 
     
     
         18 . The ice maker appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the mold body consists of four or fewer mold cavities.